2016 General Assembly Resolutions

Resolution 1: Research

Whereas, international collaboration on braille research is extremely important;

Whereas, such research includes all aspects of research into braille reading, writing, technology, tactile perception, tactile graphics, etc.; and

Whereas, ICEB shall also take into account empirical research on braille reading and writing as UEB continues to evolve and develop;

This Sixth General Assembly of ICEB resolves to:

Establish a Research Report Committee that shall report back to ICEB on the state of braille research; The committee to report at each General Assembly about relevant braille research for the previous four years; The committee to be composed of one member from each member country with relevant academic and professional expertise to evaluate the new research literature, and who can inform their braille authority and/or ICEB Executive Committee about relevant research.

Resolution 2: World Braille Usage

Whereas, in June, 2013, the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped of the Library of Congress (NLS), Perkins School for the Blind (Perkins) and the International Council on English Braille (ICEB) released the third edition of World Braille Usage;

Whereas, print copies are available free of charge from NLS, print PDF files are hosted on the Perkins website at http://www.perkins.org/worldbrailleusage, and hard copy braille is available at a cost of USD 10.00 per volume (in 5 volumes) from Perkins and also from the Royal National Institute of Blind People;

Whereas, Perkins has committed to continue to host the World Braille Usage files for free download;

This Sixth General Assembly of ICEB resolves to: Acknowledge and appreciate the financial support and outstanding work of NLS, Perkins and ICEB to create this third edition of World Braille Usage; and Call for the establishment of a World Braille Usage Content Management Committee, with representation from NLS, Perkins, ICEB and the World Braille Council, to: Receive, evaluate and determine the authenticity and accuracy of proposed amendments to entries in the third edition of World Braille Usage; Manage edits, corrections, additions and deletions in entries in the third edition of World Braille Usage; and Oversee and validate the several file formats of World Braille Usage.

Resolution 3: Preserving music braille presently available only as hard copy

Noting with appreciation the past efforts of many people, organizations and countries;

Reminding all participants of both an historic and continuing legacy of music braille;

Considering criteria for undertaking and outcome of the preservation of music braille;

Recognizing the fact that considerable financial commitment is required;

This Sixth General Assembly of ICEB resolves to:

1. Encourage all relevant member-countries of ICEB, their organizations and agencies, to collaborate (where possible) to facilitate and further the preservation of music braille in hard copy;

2. Request that all sponsor-countries, appropriate organizations and agencies make known to ICEB and relevant committees, their position in respect of preserving music braille; and

3. Call upon all those involved to do their utmost to ensure future generations have access to and use of music braille resources from the past.

Resolution 4: Revision of New International Manual of Braille Music Notation

Acknowledging that braille music is the only universal braille code;

Recognizing that there are some elements of music not yet represented in the braille music code;

Acknowledging more work is needed with regard to integration of music braille with Unified English Braille;

This Sixth General Assembly of ICEB resolves to:

Investigate a cooperative project with braille authorities within and external to the International Council on English Braille to update the New International Manual of Braille Music Notation (1996) by Bettye Krolick.

Resolution 5: Unified English Braille support by screen readers on refreshable braille devices

Whereas, significant improvements have been made with regard to support of Unified English Braille in screen readers, refreshable braille displays and notetakers;

This Sixth General Assembly of ICEB resolves to:

1. Strongly urge manufacturers to correct existing issues with UEB input and output on refreshable braille displays and notetakers, and implement updates as they occur; and

2. Distribute this resolution to appropriate technology manufacturers.

Resolution 6: Unified English Braille Outreach and Promotion

Whereas, all ICEB member countries have now adopted Unified English Braille (UEB);

This Sixth General Assembly of ICEB resolves to:

Establish a newsletter to communicate the activities of ICEB and promote UEB especially in countries which are currently not members of ICEB, including a resource list about UEB itself, ICEB membership and setting up a braille authority; Publish the newsletter at least twice a year;

Distribute the newsletter through as many existing channels as practical including the ICEB website, the World Blind Union (WBU), its regional bodies, and the International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment (ICEVI) and its regional bodies;

Engage with the World Braille Council emphasizing the utility of UEB where English is a second or regional language such as in the European Union or Anglophone Africa; and

Ask the Public Relations Officer to have oversight of the implementation of this resolution.